Index Archive

26 December 2013

HDFC Bank Ambernath branch fined Rs. 5 Lakh for causing metal agony to customerThe district consumer forum found HDFC Bank’s Ambernath branch guilty of causing the customer mental agony, the forum has asked the bank to pay him a compensation of Rs5 lakh.

The bank has been asked to pay up within 45 days, failing which a penalty, in the form of an annual interest rate of 6%, will be levied.

Details of case –

October 2007

Ambernath resident Eliasparankiman Christopher had taken a loan of Rs4, 59,000 from the bank. THe had decided to repay the loan in 60 instalments, i.e. till August 2012.

He was very regular in paying the loan instalments

In August 2011, he decided to pay the remaining loan amount in one go.

Accordingly, he issued a cheque of Rs 1, 16,000 on September 6, 2011 and asked the bank to close his loan account.

After this bank, claimed that the complainant had dues amounting to Rs61, 895 pending against him and it deducted the amount from the Rs1, 16,000 he had paid towards his loan.

After that he filed a complaint in district consumer forum

He alleged that the bank then levied a penalty of Rs35, 048.98 on the Rs54, 105, saying the fine was for all the times he had delayed in paying his loan instalments, and asked him to pay a total of Rs89, 153.98 to close his loan account.

When the forum asked the bank to file its reply, the latter held that this was a regular procedure and, hence, it was not at fault.

After going through evidence forum found HDFC bank’s Ambernath branch was guilty of not providing proper services to its customer.

The forum then asked the complainant to pay Rs 89,153.98 to the bank to close the loan account and directed the bank to pay him Rs5 lakh for causing him “mental agony”.

Punishment is very less India needs to treat metal harassment as very serious and grave crime and punishment and fines should start from whatever may be the case Rs. 1 Crore

Now what will happen will he get money immediately, it’s not easy to recover money using Consumer Forum orders